


Mudd's Action

by Amedia



Category: Star Trek, Star Trek: The Animated Series
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Episode Tag, Leonard "Bones" McCoy & Spock Friendship, Leonard "Bones" McCoy is a Good Friend, M/M, Mentioned James T. Kirk, Science
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-27
Updated: 2020-10-27
Packaged: 2021-03-08 18:40:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 628
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27221359
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Amedia/pseuds/Amedia
Summary: Spock is troubled by lingering aftereffects of Mudd's supposedly fake love crystals. Episode tag forStar Trek: The Animated SeriesS01E10, "Mudd's Passion."Originally published in KiSCon 2019 - The Official Zine. KiSCon 2019, Nov 1 - 3. Seattle, Washington
Relationships: James T. Kirk/Spock
Comments: 8
Kudos: 54





	Mudd's Action

**Author's Note:**

> My first and so far only K/S fic!

Spock found McCoy in the medical lab, conducting an analysis on some alien substance. "Good morning, Doctor," he said. "I apologize for the interruption."

McCoy looked up from his instruments. "Not at all, Mr. Spock. Let me have about two minutes, and you can be the first to hear what I've learned." He moved the sample he was studying to look at it from a different angle, and Spock recognized the all-too-familiar shimmer of one of those... unfortunate crystals. Spock had steeled himself to talk to Dr. McCoy about their effects, but his resolution was rapidly waning.

He waited patiently, wondering—more like dreading—that what McCoy was learning through analysis was something he already learned through experience. Dread, of course, was an emotion, and he refused to permit himself to feel it. Indeed, he denied himself permission repeatedly in the short time it took McCoy to complete his task and write down the results.

When McCoy looked up, however, his face was shining with the joy of scientific discovery. Spock found himself touched that McCoy was happy to share it with him, a sensation that temporarily banished the dread. And so he was able to ask his question calmly. "What have you found, Doctor?" 

McCoy pulled up a 3-dimensional molecular image on the lab's wall-mounted screen and pointed. "I've been examining the structure of the so-called 'love crystals' that Harry Mudd was peddling last week. There are some peculiarities at the molecular level, but wait until you see the subatomic variations." He waved at the screen, and it zoomed in continuously until McCoy stopped it with another gesture.

Spock leaned forward to look at the image more closely. "Fascinating," he said and meant it. Beneath the vibrations that clearly inspired the temporary, fraudulent sensations of affection to which the crew had been subjected, there was another, steadier pulse whose beat was barely visible. "What significance do you ascribe to this anomaly?"

McCoy studied his notes. "It would take a long time to explain, and I'd be happy to go over the details later, but to cut a long story short, the crystals actually work in two different ways. They can cause random people who are not in love to experience symptoms as if they were. But they can also cause people with the unrealized potential to be in love to actualize that phenomenon." He regarded Spock closely. "Have you observed any cases on board the Enterprise of people for whom the effects have not worn off?"

Spock took a deep breath and tried to decide what to say. This was what he had come to talk to McCoy about, but now that the moment had come, he could not seem to frame the correct words. All he knew was that while the brief flare of attraction he had felt for Jim Kirk while under the crystal's influence had faded, it had left in its place a steadily smoldering warmth that refused to be dislodged by any mental disciplines.

McCoy allowed a moment to pass and then continued. "In such a case, the crystal would serve not as a cause, but a catalyst, releasing genuine feelings that had existed all along. There might be a brief moment of irritation as the immediate, artificial influence wore off, but it would be followed by a longer period of ... well, I suppose you'd call it real love."

Spock managed to find his voice. "How much longer, Doctor?" 

McCoy smiled. "That depends on the individuals in question. As near as I can tell, it only happens between people who already love each other and don't realize it." He put a hand on Spock's shoulder. "Perhaps you should ask Jim."

Spock reflected a moment and nodded. "That, Doctor, is an outstandingly intelligent idea."


End file.
